Expressive and Receptive Language Disorders

Receptive and expressive communication are two different components of language. Listening and comprehending what is spoken is the receptive component of language while the ability to express oneself while communicating with others is the expressive component of language. A child can have a delay or disorder in one or both of these components of language. 

Does your child have trouble expressing herself with language? Or maybe she has trouble understanding you when you talk to her?

We begin developing language as soon as we’re born; however, sometimes children have difficulty understanding what people are saying to them. Perhaps a child is affected by a brain injury, perhaps other developmental problems, or by autism spectrum disorder, hearing loss, or learning difficulties. However, most often parents never find out the underlying reason their child does not understand what he hears or why he does not express himself as well as other children his age.

Small sample size of possible Receptive and Expressive language disorders:

• A hard time understanding what other people have said

• Have difficulty finding the right words when talking

• Have a hard time asking or answering questions

• Have a hard time learning songs and rhymes